Sewing machine



i 946. c. F. RUBEL Em 2,398,667

SEWING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 igl gulllllll CHARLES E RUBEL ALBERT n scuwso;

A ril 16, 1946.

.8 I I ll Filed June 23, 1942 INVENTORS CHARLES ERUBEL ALBERT H.6Cf/WEOA 7,146? i ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet I5 P 9 6 c. F. RUBEL ETAL 2,398,667

SEWING MACHINE ATTORNEY/ April 16. 1946.

C. F. RUBEL ETAL SEWING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS CHARLES E RUBEL ALBERT M. SCHWEDA 5 CS AITTORN% April 1946. c. F. RUBEL ETAl. 2,398,667

SEWING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 51 INVENTORS cm/m's F. fil/BEL ALBERT M. JCHWEDA Patented Apr. 16, 1946 SEWING MACHINE Charles F. Rube! and Albert M. Schweda, Chicage, 11]., assignors to Union Special Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 23, 1942, Serial N0. 448,084

26 Claims. (01. 112-248) This invention relates to an improved sewing machine construction and more particularly to one of the lockstitch type. It has reference es- Decially to an improved form of rotary take-up for the needle thread of such a machine.

A primary object of the invention has been to provide a reliable and effective take-up mechanism of the rotary type which is of simple and inexpensive construction and is easy to use. A feature of the invention in the attainment of the foregoing object is the provision of a take-up device for lockstitch machines, which is mounted upon a single shaft and has all of its thread-engaging elements operated at the same angular speed, corresponding with the reciprocations of the needle.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of two take-up elements secured to a single shaft and arranged to produce their take-up actions additively at certain times and subtractively at other portions of a cycle.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a pair of take-up elements on the same shaft, so constructed and arranged that one is adapted to engage the thread and impart its take-up action thereto only once during a complete cycle while the other is adapted to take up the thread twice during each cycle. The second element, moreover, is adapted to produce different take-up effects upon its two successive actions during a single cycle.

A still further feature is the provision of a take. up member having a camming action upon the thread, the contour of the cam being accurately developed to provide the correct take-up at all times. The form of the cam is such, furthermore, as to provide two take-upactions upon a single revolution. Moreover, the cam is so formed that a portion of its edge is arranged to produce a combined camming and lifting lever action upon the thread.

Toward the end of simplifying the use of the machine, the improved take-up has been so constructed that the elements which determine the path of the thread from the source of supply to the eye of the needle are readily accessible at all points and thus the threading operation is made easy to perform.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description of an illustrative form of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accom' panying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a longitudinal, vertical section through the illustrative machine, taken along the line I-I of Fig. VI, certain parts, however, being disclosed in side elevation.

Fig. II is a view partly in end elevation and partly in transverse section, illustrating the improved take-up mechanism in relation to the stitch-forming devices, certain parts of the construction being brokenaway to better illustrate ,the parts behind.

Fig. III is a transverse, vertical section through the-needle head taken along the line m-m of Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. 11 illustrating the parts at a different stage in a cycle of operation.

Fig. V is a longitudinal, vertical section through the improved take-upmechanism and is taken along the line V-V of Fig. VI.

Fig. V1 is a front elevation of the machine with a few. parts broken away for purposes of better illustration of parts behind, the take-up devices beingshown at a still later stage in their operation.

Fig. VII is a detail view partly in plan and partly in section along the line VII-VII of Fig. I, showing the take-up mechanism.

Fig. VIIIis a view similar to Fig. II showing the parts in an even later stage in their operation.

Fig. IX is'an enlarged detail view in section along the line IX-IX of Fig. XI, showing a portion of one of the take-up members.

Fig. X is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the parts shiftedto still another position, at a late stage in the cycle.

Fig. X1 is a detail view in front elevation of the pair of take-up members, and

Fig. XII is a sectional view through the take-up members along the line XII-HI of Fig. XI.

The. machine to which the improved take-up mechanism has been shown applied is in general of the type disclosed in the patent to Norman V. Christensen et al., No. 2,113,572 granted April 12, 1938.. It has a frame including a work supporting bed 10 from one end of which rises a hollow, vertical standard I I having at its upper end a laterally extending, hollow, overhanging arm- [2. At the free :end of the arm II, which extends over the work support, there is provided a needle head I3 in which is mounted, for vertical reciprocation, a needle bar I 4 carrying at its lower end one or more needles IS. The needle bar is reciprocated in suitable bearings by connections including a clamp collar l6 secured to the needle bar and carrying a pivot pin to which is connected a pitman- I! having its opposite end connected with a crank pin ll carried at the end of a rotatable shaft It. This shaft is journaled in bearings 20 I From the shaft l8 power is also delivered to complementary stitch-forming means and work feeding devices in the work supporting base. This is accomplished by means of a gear 28 secured to the shaft i8, an idler gear 28 mounted within the standard H, and a gear 28 secured to the end of a shaft 28 which is mounted in suitable bearings beneath the work support and extends from the bottom of the hollow standard II to the forward end of the work supporting bed. A gear 21, secured to the shaft 28, meshes with a pinion 28 having only half as many teeth as the gear 21 so that the pinion 28 is driven at twice the angular velocity of the shaft 28. Pinion 28 is secured to a shaft 28 mounted in a bearing bushing 88 and carrying at its forward end the rotary component of a rotary hook 8|.

Any suitable feeding mechanism may be employed for advancing the work in proper relation to the stitch-forming devices. For example. the means disclosed in the patent to George Sauer et al.. 'No. 2,035,508, granted March 31, 1936, may

be employed. This includes a feed dog 82 se-.

cured to a feed bar 88 carried'by a feed rocker 88 which may be reciprocated by suitable connections from the shaft 28 in the manner disclosed in said Sauer et al. patent. The lifting and lowering of the feed bar may also be accomplished in the manner disclosed in said patent. A presser foot 35, secured to the lower end of a presser bar 88, which is urged downwardly by a spring 81 (Fig. III), serves to urge the work yieldingly against the feed dog and the work supporting surface. The presser bar may be lifted against the action of the spring 81 by mean of the lever 38 acting upon a block 88 slidable on the presser ba and which may be raised into engagement with a block 40 secured to the presser bar and then lifted further to raise the presser bar. An

extension ll of the block 88 carries a cam surpatent to Carl 0. Nelson, No. 2,077,151, granted April 13, 1937. As explained in said patent, the take-up of the needle thread loop cast about the stationary component of a two-to-one type of rotary hook must be accomplished substantially during one half of its needle excursion or. in

other words, during substantially 90 of the main shaft travel. This is accomplished by reciprocatory means in the construction disclosed in the Nelson patent. A primary purpose of the present invention has been to accomplish the same result by means of a rotary device having the features and advantages hereinabove pointed out. Various attempts have been made in the past to provide a rotary take-up for a lockstitch machine but for one reason or another these have not proved commercially satisfactory. In most instances, after having quickly taken up the needle thread loop in the available time, these prior devices have produced unnecessary slack thread aseaeev which has frequently become caught in the rotating parts, thus necessitating stoppage of the machine for re-threading and the like. Other devices have proved too complicated and expensive. In accordance with the present invention, the difficulties and objections encountered with prior rotary take-ups have been overcome and a simple, inexpensive and effective construction for providing the required take-up action, and

the yielding of only sufllcient slack at the appropriate times, has been provided.

There is'secured to the shaft l8, between the bearing 28 and the-arm carrying the eccentric pin l8, a gear 88 which meshes with a gear 88 secured to a take-up shaft 81. ThisIshaft is journaled in a bushing 88 carried by a bulge 88 in the frame of the needle head. Oil holes may be provided for the introduction of appropriate lubricant to the bushing 88. A collar 8| is secured by one or more set screws 82 to the shaft 81. This collar is provided with a radially extending flange 88 to which is secured, by means of screws 88a, a cam disc 88. Th latter has the contour indicated in Fig. XI, which will be more fully discussed hereinafter. At its outer end the shaft '81 is provided with a radially extending flange 88 to which is secured a second take-up member 88. Screws 8! are provided for securing this take-up member to the flange 88. As will beseen, the relative positions of the members 84 and 88 may be varied as desired. to suit the particular requirements, by adjusting the angular position of the collar 8| on the shaft 41. Member 88 may suitably be composed of an inner disc element 88 and an outer annular element 89, the disc being secured .to the end of the shaft by the screw 81, as before stated, and the annular element being attached to the disc by means of studs 80, which may, if desired, be provided with rollers. Two of these studs are provided in close relationship. Throughout the balance of the circumference of the two elements 88 and 88 the space between them is entirely open. The studs 88 may suitably be riveted to the disc 58 while the element 88 may be attached to the studs by means of screws-8i (Fig. IX). The surfaces of the studs or rollers are prefer ably grooved or of concave formation to facilitate. proper engagement of the thread.

Cooperating with'the cam member 88 is a plate 82. This has a longitudinal slot 88 through which the cam member extends during most of its rotation. Disposed at substantially a right angle .to the main body of the plate is an integral portion 88 which is secured to the needle head by means of a pair of screws 88. The lower end 88 of the plate is bent outwardly at 90, as shown in Fig. VIII, while the upper end 81 of the plate is preferably angled outwardly at only about 60". At one end of the slot 88, at substantially the point at which the end 81 of the plate is bent outwardly, there is provided an eyelet 88 adapted to receive and guide the thread.- At the opposite side of the slot 88, horizontall in line with the eyelet 88 and in the vertical plane of the grooved or concave portions of the studs 80 of the outer take-up member 88, there is provided a small opening 88 through the plate. Through this the thread may be passed for cooperation with the studs 88. A fixed stud I8, secured by a screw H to a bracket 12 attached by a screw 18 to the plate 82, has a groove 10a in one face in the plane of the grooves in the studs 88.

The course of the needle thread is as follows: It is led from a spool forming the source of sup.

ply to a pin I4 mounted on the top of the overhanging arm I! above the standard II and from this it is led to an apertured guide I5 secured to the side of the needle head. After traversing several holes in this guide, the thread is passed around the thread tensloning device 44, over the check wire 16, forming part of the thread tensioning device, then .under a pull-off arm 11 which is carried by the block All secured to the presser bar. Arm 11 passes through a slot in the side of the needle head which is of suflicient length to allow for the requiredmovement of the presser bar. From the arm 11 the thread is led to and through the eyelet 68, across the face of the plate 82, inwardly through the opening 69 in the plate, around the forward stud 60 of the outer take-up member and, at times, across the groove of the pin 10, down to a fixed guide 18 on the front of the needle head, then through a guide 19 on the needle bar, through the eye of the needie down to and through the work.

The operation of the improved take-up devices described in the foregoing will now be explained in detail by reference to Figures II, IV, VI, VIII and X of the drawings. Assuming the parts of, the machine to be in the positions indicated in Fig. II at the commencement of the cycle, it will be noted that the needle thread traverses its path of substantially minimum length between the pull-off arm I1 and the thread guide 18. This path will be as indicated above. Between the eyelet'68 and the opening 69 the thread will be deflected outwardly to only a slight extent by the cam member 54. At this time the thread crosses the edge of the cam at the point 54a (Fig. XI). The forward stud 60 is barely engaged with the thread and the latter passes over the fixed guide pin Ill in its course down to the guide I8. It will be understood that prior to reaching this position, the parts will have gone through a preceding cycle in which the needle will have been passed through the work and the loop thrown out by the needle upon its initial upward movement will have been engaged by the beak 3la of the rotary hook. Therefore, when the parts have reached the'position indicated in Fig, II, the needle thread, after passing through the eye of the needle is extended downwardly through the work, around the back of the stationary bob-, bin case of the hook unit, upwardly from the beak Ma, and across the face of the stationary element of the hook to the point of connection with the fabric at the preceding stitch.

Now, as the take-up devices and the rotary hook continue their operation and advance from the Fig. II to the Fig. IV positions, only a very slight change in the action of the take-up devices will have occurred. The thread in passing from the eyelet 68 to the opening 69 will pass around a portion of the cam 54, which 'is of slightl less radius, but at the same time the leading stud 60 will have engaged the thread and increased its length slightly between the opening 69 and the stationary pin 10. In this portion of the cycle, therefore, the needle thread will have been yielded a very slight additional amount to enable the loop to carr over the full diameter of the bobbin case to the position indicated in Fig. IV.

In passing from the Fig. IV to the Fig. VI position, the slack in the needle thread, represented by the loop shown in Fig. IV, has been largely, though not completely, taken up, this being accomplished not only by the substantial increase in the path between the opening 69 and v 3 the pin 10, by virtue of the advance of the stud 60. but also because of the added effect of the increasing diameter of the cam 54. The thread will at' this time cooperate with a point on the cam designated 54b in Fig. XI, or possibly even a point between this and the point 540.

As the cycle of the machine continues toward the Fig. VlII position of the parts, the take-up action will continue until the loop of the needle thread is drawn tightly against the under side of the work. This is accomplished by the continued movement of the forward stud 60 and the added efiect of the further increase of the radius of the cam 54 up to the point 540 (Fig. XI) When the parts are in the Fig. VIII position, the thread will have been taken up to its maximum extent. In reaching this position, the needle thread will not only have been drawn tightly against the under side of the work, taking with it the adjacent portion of the bobbin thread, which will have been surrounded by the loop of the needle thread in the operation described, but to insure the proper take-up of the needle loop without danger of breaking the needle thread the latter in attaining the position of Fig. VIII will have depressed the checkwire 16 to a point substantially in line with the lower edge of the pull-off arm ll. Thus the check wire has disappeared in Fig. VIII. In reaching this position, moreover, it will be noted that the work has been advanced a stitch length, and the needle has descended a substantial distance toward the work, sliding its eye along the thread. Also, the hook beak 3| a has gotten a substantial distance around on its idl revolution.

In proceeding from the Fig. VIII to the Fig. X position the rotary hook will complete its idle revolution while the needle will pass through the work and present a new loop to the loop engaging beak of the hook. During this interval between the Fig. VIII and Fig. X positions, there has been some demand for additional thread by the needle, this being about double the length of travel of the needle point from about inch above the work to its lowermost position of Fig. K. At the beginning of this portion of the cycle, there is a slight increase in the take-up action of the studs so but this is largely compensated by the decreasing radius of the part of cam 54 which is being traversed by the needle thread at this time. As shown in Fig. 1H, this reduction in diameter of the cam commences at the point 54d and continues to the point 54c. The radius at the latter point is slightly less than the distance to the member 62 so that during an interval in the operation, thev cam does not engage the thread. That part of the cycle in which the studs 60 and the cam 54 substantially counteract or offset each other begins toward the end of the movement from the Fig. VI position to the Fig. VIII position and continues for an arc of about 10 or 15 from the Fig. VIII position. During this period the needle is descending but simply slips its eye along the thread. However when the needle reaches a point about 4 inch above the work support, which is approximately at the end of the period in the cycle above mentioned, the thread begins to move downwardly with the needle and then takes up a share of the thread yielded by the studs 60. As will be seen, the studs begin to yield the thread quite rapidly after they have passed below the horizontal plane through the axis of rotation of the take-up means. During this same period, the cam 54 begins to take-up the thread at a fairly rapid rate, this being Just suiiicient to prevent at other times.

the objectionable development of slack. Thus the net result of the thread yielding action of the member 58 and the take-up action of the cam 54- is to provide just the right amount of thread for the needle. At the beginning of this period, the point e on the cam will be passing adjacent the plate 82 and since the radius of the cam. at this point'is less than the distance from its axis to the surface of plate 82, the cam will at that moment have no effect upon thethread. The thread will simply lie flat across the surface of the plate from the eyelet 68 to the opening 69. However, during the latter part of the period in question, the thread will be engaged by the rising portion of the cam and will reach the point 54! (Fig. m)

by the time the Fig. X position is reached. During this latter portion of the movement from the Fig. VIII to the Fig.2 position, the thread, in its course from the studs 80 to the guide 18, will engage and be deflected slightly by a stationary guard member 80 (Figs. VI and VII). This also retards slightly the rate at which the thread is yielded by the studs 60.

- Finally, upon continuing from the Fig. x position to the original Fig. II position, the studs 60 will yield the thread at a quite rapidrate. In fact, during the first part of this period the rollers will yield the thread more rapidly than it is reciuired by the rotary hook. Accordingly, the enlarged end of the cam 54, which is active in the Fig. X position, will tend to lift the thread rapidly at this moment by a sort of leverage action in addition to the slightly increasing radius of the cam invthis region. The leverage action tends to carry the loop substantially up to the angled portion 61 of the plate. This angled portion of the plate, however, prevents the loop from being carried frictionally, or otherwise, beyond its surface and serves to strip the thread from the cam. In the latter portion of the movement from the Fig. X to the Fig. II position, the loop engaged aeeaee'r by said first mentioned shaft and out of the vertical plane containing the latter, gearing connecting said shafts, a plurality of thread engaging members secured to said rotatable shaft and arranged to engage the thread at spaced points in different planes, said members being so constructed as to impart take-up actions of different over the edge of the cam 54 will have passed over 1 the high portion of the enlarged end of the latter and will have slid down the edge of the cam to a point of relatively small radius, as indicated in Fig. II. This occurs during the period in which the requirements of the rotary hook are at-a maximum, since the major portion of the loop proper additive effect, in relation to the studs 80,

at certain times and a proper subtractive effect As a net result the two components insure the desired yielding of the needle thread at the required times and the desired firm take-up action on the thread in completing a stitch at the right times, without leaving any substantial slack in the thread at any time.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes in the construction and arrangement of the several parts and in the general application of the invention may be made, without departing from its principles and scope. The terms and expressions used herein have been employed as terms of description and not of limitation.

character and frequency to said thread, and fixed guide means for constantly engaging the thread between the points of. engagement by said members.

2. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means including a shaft for recipro- .tion of different character upon each revolution.

3. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means including a shaft for reciprocating said needle, take-up means for the needle thread comprising a. single rotatable shaft driven by said first mentioned shaft and out of the vertical plane containing the latter, gearing connecting, said shafts, and a plurality of thread engaging members secured in fixed relation to said rotatable shaft and arranged to engage the thread at spaced points, one of said members being arranged to provide a plurality of take-up actions upon each revolution, the operation and timing of said members being such that one of said take-up actions of said one member is arranged to combine with that of the other of said members, and another of said take-up actions is arranged to work in opposition to that of the other of said members.

4. In a, sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means including a shaft for reciprocating said needle, take-up means for the needle thread comprising a rotatable shaft driven by said first mentioned shaft, gearing connecting said shafts, and a plurality of thread engaging mem bers secured to said rotatable shaft and arranged to engage said thread at a plurality of spaced points in its path to the needle, one of said members having a continuous cam edge arranged to engage the thread during the major portion of its rotation, and another of said members being so mounted in relation to said rotatable shaft as to be carried thereby through an orbital path in which it engages said thread and effects a take-up action thereon at a different timing from said one of said members.

5. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means including a shaft for reciproaseaoev formed as to impart a plurality of take-up actions to the thread with intermediate yielding of the thread upon each revolution of said member, and another of said members having thread engaging means arranged to impart only a single take-up action to the" thread upon eachrevolution of said shaft.

6. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating said needle, and thread take-up means for the thread carried by said needle comprising a pair of rotary take-up members arranged to engage said thread at spaced points, one of said members having a continuous cam surface adapted to effect a takeup action in predetermined timing by forming a loop of varying dimension in said thread, and the other of said members having a thread engaging element which is carried through an orbite] path to effect a differently timed take-up action.

7*. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating said needle, and thread take-up means for the thread carried by said needle comprising a pair of rotary takeup members mounted on a single shaft and arcycle and subtractively during another portion of the cycle 11. A thread take-up for sewing machines which comprises a rotary unit having two threadengaging members in diiferent planes, one of said members having a substantially continuous cam surface arranged to engage a portion of the thread throughout the major part or its rotation and to form a loop of varying length, the other of said members being arranged in the course of its rotation to engage another portion of the thread with varying take-up action thereon, said one of said members having two cam lobes one ranged to engage said thread at spaced points, a

one of said members having a continuous cam surface adapted to effect a take-up action in predetermined timing by forming a loop of varying dimension in said thread, and the other of said members having a thread engaging element which is carried through an orbital path to effect a diflerently timed take-up action.

8. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating said needle, and thread take-up means for the thread carried by said needle comprising a pair of synchronously driven rotary take-up members arranged to engage said thread at spaced points, a fixed guide arranged to engage said thread intermediate said spaced points, one of said members having a continuous cam surface surrounding the axis of rotation of said member adapted to form a loop of varying dimension in said thread, and one of said members being arranged to yield thread at times as it is taken up by the other of said members.

9. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating said needle, and thread take-up means for the thread carried by said needle comprising a pair of rotary take-up members arranged to engage said thread at spaced points, common driving means for rotat ing said members in synchronism, one of said members having a continuous cam surface adapted to form a loop of varying dimension in said thread, said cam surface being so formed as to cause said loop to increase and decrease in length twiceupon each rotation thereof, and the other of said members being arranged to impart only a single take-up and a single yielding action upon each rotation.

10. A thread take-up for sewing machines which comprises a rotary unit having two threadengaging members in different planes, one of said members having a substantially continuous cam surface arranged to engage a portion of the thread throughout the major part of its rotation and to form a loop of varying length, the other of said members being arranged in the course of its rotation to engage another portion of the thread with varying take-up action thereon, said members being so related as to combine their take-up actions additively during a portion of a of which combines its eifective additively and the.

other subtractively in relation to the take-up action of said other of said members.

12. A thread take-up for sewing machines which comprises a shaft, a rotary member secured to said shaft, said member having its outer edge of varying radius with respect to said shaft, a fixed plate adjacent said member having a slot through which the edge of said member extends, said plate being provided with means for guiding a thread and directing the same transversely across said slot, said member upon rotation of said shaft engaging said thread and projecting a loop of varying length from the face of said plate, and a thread engaging element'rotatable with said member about the axis thereof on a radius less than the minimum effective radius of said member, one of said guiding means serving to direct the thread into the path of said element.

13. A thread take-up for sewing machines which comprises a shaft, a rotary member secured to said shaft, said member having its outer edge of varying radius with respect to said shaft, a fixed plate adjacent said member having a slot through which the edge of said member extends, said plate being provided with means for guiding a thread and directing the same transversely across said slot, said member upon rotation of said shaft engaging said thread and projecting a loop of varying length from the face of said plate, the form of said member being such as to increase and decrease the length of said loop twice upon each revolution, the upper end of said plate being bent outwardly in the path of said loop along a more nearly radial line and serving to strip the same from the edge of said member as the maximum take-up action is attained.

14. In a machine of the class described a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating the same, a rotary hook operated at twice the frequency of said needle arranged to cooperate with the needle thread, take-up means for said needle thread comprising a single rotary unit, and means for driving said unit at the same frequency as said needle, said unit having a thread engaging element carried in an orbital path and a second element having a substantially continuous thread engaging surface of varying radius from the axis of rotation of said unit.

15. In a machine of the class described a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating the same, a rotary hook operated at twice the frequency of said needle arranged to cooperate with needle, said unit having a thread engaging element carried in an orbital path and a second element having a substantially continuous thread engaging surface of varying radius from the axis of rotation of said unit, and fixed guide means for engaging said thread both in advance of and beyond the point of engagement thereof by said second element. W

16. In a machine of the class described a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating the same, a rotary hook operated at twice the frequency of said needle arranged to cooperate with the needle thread, take-up means for said needle thread comprising a single rotary unit, means for driving said unit at the same frequency as said needle, said unit having a thread engaging element carried in an orbital path and a second element having a substantially continuous thread engaging surface of varying radius from the axis of rotation of said unit and fixed guide means in the plane of said orbital path adapted to engage the thread both in advance of and beyond the point of engagement thereof by said first mentioned element.

17. In a machine of the class described a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating the same, a rotary hook operated at twice the frequency of said needle arranged to cooperate with the needle thread, take-up means for said needle thread comprlsinga single rotary unit, means for driving said unit at the same frequency as said needle, said unit having a thread engaging element carried in an orbital path and a second element having a substantially continuous thread engaging surface of varying radius from the axis of rotation of said unit and fixed guide means arranged to engage said thread at points in advance of, beyond, and intermediate of the points of engagement thereof by said elements.

18. A thread take-up for sewing machines which comprises a shaft, a rotary member secured to said shaft, said member having its outer edge of varying radius with respect to said shaft, fixed thread guiding means at opposite sides of said member, the outer edge of said member being so formed as to provide both a camming action and a lifting lever action upon the thread in the course of rotation of said member, and means for strippingithe thread from said member at a predetermined point, and a thread engaging element mounted for orbital movement. adjacent said member upon rotation of the latter, one of said fixed guiding means serving to direct the thread into the path of said element.

19. In a sewing machine having a thread carrying needle, means for reciprocating said needle,

21. In a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including a reciprocable needle, a cooperating rotary hool: and means for actuating said stitch forming mechanism in timed relation but at different frequencies, needle thread takeup means comprising a plurality of rotatable thread manipulating elements disposed and arranged to engage the needle thread in series relation, one of said elements taking up the thread at the frequency of the needle and another of said elements taking up the thread at the frequency of the rotary hook, and means for rotating said elements at a uniform and the same angular speed.

22. In a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including a reciprocable needle, a complemental stitch forming member operating at a different frequency than the needle and means for actuating said needle and stitch forming member in timed relation, needle thread take-up means comprising a plurality of thread manipulating elements rotatable about a common axis and disposed and arranged to engage the needle thread in series relation, guide means associated with said elements for retaining the thread in proper relation thereto, at least one of said elements having a camming action on the thread and the associated guide means being arranged to cause engagement of the thread with said one of said elements substantially constantly during its rotation and means for rotating all of said elements at the frequency of the needle.

28. In a, sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including a reciprocable needle, a complemental stitch forming member operating at a different frequency than the needle and means for actuating said needle and stitch formingmember intimed relation, needle thread takeup means comprising a plurality of thread manipulating elements rotatable about a common axis and disposed and arranged to engage the needle thread in series relation, and means for rotating all of said elements at the frequency of the needle, one of said elements being so formed as to impart a take-up action to the thread at the frequency of the needle and the other at the frequgicy of said complemental stitch forming mem r.

24. In a sewing machine, a thread take-up deand thread take-up means for the thread carried the point of engagement thereof by the others of said members in the passage of the thread from said one of said members to the needle.

20. In a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including a reciprocable needle, a coengaging members, one of said members having a peripheral thread engaging surface arranged to provide a camming action on the thread and another having an orbitally moving element and thread guiding means constructed and arranged to lead a thread through the respective zones of action of said members; the direction of travel of operating rotary hook and means for actuating 55 said stitch forming mechanism in timed relation but at different frequencies, needle thread takeup means comprising a plurality of rotatable thread manipulating elements disposed and arranged to engage the needle thread in series relation, one of said elements taking up the thread at the frequency of the needle and another of said elements taking up the thread at the frequency of. the rotary hook, and means for rotating said elements at the same angular speed.

said thread through the zone of action of said one of said members being generally parallel with the axis about which said member rotates, and the direction of travel of said thread through the zone of action of said other of said members being generally transverse to the axis about which said last named member rotates.

25. In a sewing machine, a thread take-up device comprising a plurality of rotatable thread eng in members, means for rotating said members at the same angular speed, and thread guiding mean for leading a thread through the respective zones of action of said members, said members and thread guiding means being so constructed and arranged that said thread is directed through the zone of action of one of said members in a direction generally parallel with the axis about which said member is rotated for member rotates for engagement thereby.

26. In a sewing machine, a thread take-up device comprising a plurality of coaxially arranged, rotatable thread engaging members, means for rotating said members synchronously, and thread guiding means for leading a thread through the respective zones of action of said members, said members and thread guiding means being so construsted and arranged that said thread is directed through the zone of action of one of said members in a direction generally parallel with the axis of rotation of said members for camming engagement by one of said members and said thread is directed through the zone of action 01' another of said members in a direction generally transverse to said axis for engagement by said other of said members.

CHARLES F. RUBEL. ALBERT M. SCHWEDA. 

